Before Pakistan acquire an aircraft carrier, Pakistan should note some of this:
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Cost
Príncipe de Asturias of Spanish Navy, she were offered to sale simply because Spain can't afford its operating cost.
1.2 trillion dollar economy can't even cope with high operating cost.
(Light AC/LHD such as Spanish Príncipe de Asturias cost (est) +
600 million USD for its hull only, not to mention maintenance, crew training, additional support systems (weapons, sensors)and especially, aircraft to fill its flat deck. With 600 million dollars, better buy additional fighter aircraft for your airforce.
You dont want end like Thai Navy Chakri Naruebet right? no money to equip weapons and aircraft to her deck, now only used as oversized, fancy royal yacht.
-Assets
A nation who operates an AC (USA, Russia, China, India, Britain, etc), have many advanced surface combatants (Destroyers, Heavy frigates, submarines,) to guard its vital, multi-billion AC. With current asset Pakistan have now, would be more logical and cost effective to acquire vls-equipped, sophisticated heavy frigate with advanced 3D radar and medium range AA missile, such as Type 054A.
Indian Carrier Strike Group
PLAN carrier strike group
Future British Navy carrier strike group featuring Queen Elizabeth-class, Type 45 Destroyer, and Astute nuclear submarine
-Doctrine
Doctrine shaped by experience,
USA was a traditional user of AC, primarily because of her far away position from her main allies in Europe, immensive industrial, and economic size to estabilish an expenditionary force abroad her coast. A single US Navy carrier strike group packs more power than most navies. We can see USN is the pioneer of AC technology (Nuclear supercarrier, EMALS, etc).
combined strength of two US Navy carrier strike group. USN has...TWELVE carrier strike group.
USSR was different. Dozens of ground warfare experience, hostile border neighbors, close proximity of allies and her vassals, help to differ her naval doctrine from USN, which is to prevent US Carrier battle groups crossing the Atlantic and Pacific while her ground and air force march into European soil. That's why USSR built more missile battlecruisers, missile submarines, hypersonic ASM and aircraft-carrying cruiser instead of real AC.
Soviet Navy Kiev-class, her carrier wing (MiG-29K, Su-33, and ASW helicopters) are meant to defend the carrier group from missile and aerial strikes, while US carrier wing used as long-range strike platform.
From my observation, Pakistan seems to have more experience in ground warfare and aerial warfare than in naval warfare against India. If Pakistan Navy still insists that she wants an AC, well, need a lot of time (money too) to learn its doctrine and strategy, even China still need to learn more about operating an AC.
-Geopolitical reasons
Why would Pakistan acquire an AC? Is India located across oceans? Or Pakistan is one of permanent security member of UN so she need AC to protect her interest and project her power outside her boundaries? India, Japan builds AC, because of her (increasing) size (economically, militarily, politically) so she needs all the means to protect her interest, by building destroyers, frigates, and AC's.
While Russia only operates a single AC left from Soviet era, all her AC plans was just...a plan...for now.
different case if you just hoarding military stuffs, though....
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post above are just my opinions, any input are welcomed.